Device gripper

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a device gripper that includes a gripper body having a pair of graspable handles and a pair of device attachment/detachment parts disposed between the pair of handles to face each other and coupled to the gripper body so as to be rotatable, in which the device attachment/detachment parts have at least one mounting groove where an end portion of a device is attached or detached and move toward or away from each other to mount or remove the device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of International Patent Application No. PCT/KR2016/000054, filed on Jan. 5, 2016, which is based upon and claims the benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0175543, filed on Dec. 10, 2015. The disclosures of the above-listed applications are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

Embodiments of the inventive concept described herein relate to a device gripper, and more particularly, to a device gripper that a user holds with both of his/her hands to enjoy contents displayed through a device mounted thereon.

People of all ages enjoy contents, such as videos, through small and light devices, such as mobile phones, regardless of time and place.

Especially, curious infants have a lot of interest in videos displayed on devices.

As the most common way of satisfying the infants' curiosity, contents such as videos that the infants can enjoy have been widely distributed through devices such as mobile phones.

However, the infants have to hold the devices, such as mobile phones, with both hands by themselves to enjoy the contents provided through the devices.

But, it is difficult for the infants to hold the mobile phones with the hands since the mobiles phones are too structurally large in size for the infants and are structurally flat and smooth. As a result, the infants may have difficulty enjoying contents and may be easily irritated and psychologically unstable.

Also, the elderly, the disabled, patients, or the like may have difficulty holding mobile phones with the hands due to low muscular strength and may thus have difficulty enjoying contents.

Therefore, a device gripper that a user holds with both of his/her hands to stably enjoy contents displayed through a device mounted thereon is required.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the inventive concept provide a device gripper that enables a user to have psychological stability and enjoy contents displayed through a device mounted thereon in the state of stably holding the device gripper with the hands.

According to an aspect of an embodiment, a device gripper includes a gripper body having a pair of graspable handles and a pair of device attachment/detachment parts disposed between the pair of handles to face each other and coupled to the gripper body so as to be rotatable, in which the device attachment/detachment parts have at least one mounting groove where an end portion of a device is attached or detached and move toward or away from each other to mount or remove the device.

The device gripper may further include a device support part provided between the pair of device attachment/detachment parts in the gripper body to support a rear surface of the device mounted on the pair of device attachment/detachment parts.

A distance between the opposite mounting grooves of the pair of device attachment/detachment parts may be shorter than a width of the device.

The gripper body may be elastically deformed and curved and the pair of device attachment/detachment parts may generate an elastic force to move toward each other when the device is mounted on the pair of device attachment/detachment parts.

A connecting area between the gripper body and each of the device attachment/detachment parts may have a modulus of elasticity greater than that of the gripper body.

A bumpy structure having the shape of waves may be formed at a periphery of the mounting groove.

The device gripper may further include a corner support part protruding from a periphery of the mounting groove to support a corner area of the device mounted in the mounting groove.

According to the inventive concept, a user may have psychological stability and enjoy contents displayed through the device mounted on the device gripper in the state of stably holding the device gripper with the hands.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The above and other objects and features will become apparent from the following description with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various figures unless otherwise specified, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device gripper according to a first embodiment of the inventive concept;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the device gripper illustrated in FIG. 1, with no device mounted on the device gripper;

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view illustrating a state in which a device is mounted on the device gripper of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view illustrating the state in which the device is mounted on the device gripper of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a device gripper according to a second embodiment of the inventive concept;

FIG. 6 is a front view of the device gripper illustrated in FIG. 5, with no device mounted on the device gripper;

FIG. 7 is a front perspective view illustrating a state in which a device is mounted on the device gripper of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a rear perspective view illustrating the state in which the device is mounted on the device gripper of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a device gripper according to a third embodiment of the inventive concept; and

FIG. 10 is a front perspective view illustrating a state in which a device is mounted on the device gripper of FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, the inventive concept will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Prior to the description, it should be noted that like components having the same configurations in various embodiments are denoted by like reference numerals and representatively described in a first embodiment and components different from those in the first embodiment are described in the other embodiments.

FIGS. 1 to 4 illustrate a device gripper according to a first embodiment of the inventive concept.

Prior to the description, it should be understood that a device gripper 10 according to the inventive concept is applicable to a terminal, such as a smartphone, while a flat panel device 5 is hereinafter illustrated as an example.

Meanwhile, the device gripper 10 according to the first embodiment of the inventive concept has rounded-corners and remains flat while the device 5 is not mounted on the device gripper 10.

The device gripper 10 according to the first embodiment of the inventive concept includes a gripper body 11 and a pair of device attachment/detachment parts 21.

The gripper body 11 has a closed-loop shape and includes a pair of graspable handles 13 formed at opposite ends thereof. Hereinafter, for the convenience of description, a front area of the gripper body 11 on which the device 5 is mounted is referred to as a front side and a rear area of the gripper body 11 is referred to as a rear side.

The pair of device attachment/detachment parts 21 is disposed between the pair of handles 13 to face each other and is coupled to the gripper body 11 so as to be rotatable. The pair of device attachment/detachment parts 21 moves toward or away from each other to mount or remove the device 5.

Each of the device attachment/detachment parts 21 has a mounting groove 23 where one end portion of the device 5 is attached or detached. The distance between the opposite mounting grooves 23 of the pair of device attachment/detachment parts 21 is shorter than the width of the device 5. Accordingly, in the case of mounting opposite end portions of the device 5 in the mounting grooves 23 of the pair of device attachment/detachment parts 21, the pair of device attachment/detachment parts 21 rotate toward the rear side of the gripper body 11 while being spaced apart from each other, and the opposite end portions of the device 5 are mounted in the mounting grooves 23 of the pair of device attachment/detachment parts 21.

Meanwhile, a connecting area between each device attachment/detachment part 21 and the gripper body 11 serves as a film hinge with a predetermined modulus of elasticity, and the modulus of elasticity of the connecting area between the device attachment/detachment part 21 and the gripper body 11 is greater than that of the gripper body 11. Therefore, the pair of device attachment/detachment parts 21 is more easily elastically deformed than the gripper body 11 when the device 5 is mounted on the pair of device attachment/detachment parts 21.

A bumpy structure 25 having the shape of waves is formed at the periphery of each mounting groove 23. The bumpy structure 25 may reduce a movement of the device 5, the opposite end portions of which are mounted in the mounting grooves 23, to enable the device 5 to be more stably secured to the mounting grooves 23. Here, the bumpy structure 25 may not be formed at the periphery of each mounting groove 23. Furthermore, although it is exemplified in this embodiment that each device attachment/detachment part 21 has one mounting groove 23 formed therein, the inventive concept is not limited thereto and a plurality of mounting grooves 23 may be formed at intervals in the device attachment/detachment part 21.

As described above, the device gripper 10 according to the first embodiment of the inventive concept has a form in which each corner is smoothly rounded and the pair of device attachment/detachment parts 21 is arranged to be symmetric to each other and rotates from the front side to the rear side of the gripper body 11.

Accordingly, the gripper body 11 and the pair of device attachment/detachment parts 21 may serve as a bumper so that the device gripper 10 according to the first embodiment of the inventive concept may reduce damage to the device 5 even though the device gripper 10 falls onto the floor during use and may maintain the device 5 at a viewing angle at which a user easily watches the device 5. In addition, infants may play with the device gripper 10 as a roly-poly toy.

The device gripper 10 according to the first embodiment of the inventive concept is made of a synthetic resin with elasticity, corn starch, silicone, or non-toxic rubber. Especially, in the case where the device gripper 10 is made of corn starch, there is no fear of harmful substances, such as endocrine-disrupting substances, and the device gripper 10 may naturally decay over time even though discarded and buried after use, which results in a reduction in secondary environmental pollution. Alternatively, in the case where the device gripper 10 is made of silicone or non-toxic rubber, the device gripper 10 may be used as a tooth development device for infants.

A process of mounting the device 5 on the device gripper 10 according to the first embodiment of the inventive concept will be described below.

First, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the opposite end portions of the device 5 are inserted into the mounting grooves 23 of the respective device attachment/detachment parts 21 in the state in which the pair of device attachment/detachment parts 21 is located in close proximity to each other as illustrated in FIG. 2.

At this time, the pair of device attachment/detachment parts 21 rotates from the front side to the rear side of the gripper body 11 while being spaced apart from each other since the width of the device 5 is greater than the distance between the mounting grooves 23 of the device attachment/detachment parts 21.

As the pair of device attachment/detachment parts 21 moves toward the rear side of the gripper body 11, the gripper body 11 is also elastically deformed and curved toward the rear side thereof.

Further, the connecting areas between the gripper body 11 and the pair of device attachment/detachment parts 21 are contracted by an elastic restoring force thereof to allow the pair of device attachment/detachment parts 21 to move toward each other since the modulus of elasticity of the connecting areas between the gripper body 11 and the device attachment/detachment parts 21 is greater than that of the gripper body 11.

Accordingly, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the opposite end portions of the device 5 may be firmly and stably mounted in the mounting grooves 23 of the pair of device attachment/detachment parts 21.

Furthermore, a user may enjoy contents displayed through the device 5 while holding the handles 13 with both of his/her hands.

Especially, when infants use the device gripper 10 according to the first embodiment of the inventive concept, the infants may not only play with the device gripper 10 as a toy, but may also have psychological stability and enjoy contents displayed through the device 5 in the state of stably holding the device gripper 10 with the hands.

In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the device gripper 10 according to the first embodiment of the inventive concept may also be used in the state in which a lower end of the gripper body 11 and lower ends of the pair of device attachment/detachment parts 21 are placed on a table.

FIGS. 5 to 8 illustrate a device gripper according to a second embodiment of the inventive concept.

Unlike the above-described device gripper 10 according to the first embodiment, a device gripper 10′ according to the second embodiment of the inventive concept further includes a device support part 15 that supports a rear surface of the device 5, the opposite end portions of which are mounted in the mounting grooves 23 of the pair of device attachment/detachment parts 21.

The device support part 15 is provided between the pair of device attachment/detachment parts 21 in the gripper body 11.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, the pair of device attachment/detachment parts 21 rotates from the front side to the rear side of the gripper body 11 while being spaced apart from each other when the opposite end portions of the device 5 are mounted in the mounting grooves 23 of the respective device attachment/detachment parts 21 in the state in which the pair of device attachment/detachment parts 21 is located in close proximity to each other as illustrated in FIG. 6.

As the pair of device attachment/detachment parts 21 moves toward the rear side of the gripper body 11, the gripper body 11 is also elastically deformed and curved toward the rear side thereof.

At this time, the device 5 mounted on the device attachment/detachment parts 21 is supported by the device support part 15, and the connecting areas between the gripper body 11 and the device attachment/detachment parts 21 are contracted by an elastic restoring force thereof to allow the pair of device attachment/detachment parts 21 to move toward each other.

Accordingly, as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, the opposite end portions of the device 5 are firmly and stably mounted in the mounting grooves 23 of the pair of device attachment/detachment parts 21.

Even though a user excessively rotates the device attachment/detachment parts 21 toward the rear side of the gripper body 11 with both of his/her hands while enjoying contents displayed through the device 5 mounted on the device attachment/detachment parts 21, the device 5 may not be easily separated from the mounting grooves 23 of the device attachment/detachment parts 21 since the device support part 15 supports the rear surface of the device 5. As a result, the device gripper 10′ according to the second embodiment of the inventive concept enables the user to more stably enjoy the displayed contents than the device gripper 10 according to the first embodiment of the inventive concept.

In addition, likewise to the device gripper 10 according to the first embodiment of the inventive concept, the device gripper 10′ according to the second embodiment of the inventive concept may also be used in the state in which the lower end of the gripper body 11 and the lower ends of the pair of device attachment/detachment parts 21 are placed on a table, as illustrated in FIG. 8.

FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate a device gripper according to a third embodiment of the inventive concept.

Unlike in the above-described embodiments, a device gripper 10″ according to the third embodiment of the inventive concept further includes a corner support part 27 protruding from the periphery of each mounting groove 23 to support a corner area of the device 5, the opposite end portions of which are mounted in the mounting grooves 23.

Accordingly, the corner support part 27 may further increase a grip force for the device 5 mounted on the device attachment/detachment parts 21 to prevent the device 5 from being easily separated from the device attachment/detachment parts 21 by external forces.

Furthermore, unlike in the above-described second embodiment, the device gripper 10″ according to the third embodiment of the inventive concept further includes upper and lower connecting parts 14 and 14′ of the gripper body 11 that connect the pair of handles 13 and are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance and connected to upper and lower edges of the device support part 15.

Accordingly, the device 5 may be stopped by the gripper body 11 and may not be easily separated from the device attachment/detachment parts 21 by external forces when the device 5 is mounted on the device attachment/detachment parts 21 and supported by the device support part 15.

When the device 5 having a size smaller than the width between the upper and lower connecting parts 14 and 14′ of the gripper body 11 is mounted on the device attachment/detachment parts 21 and supported by the device support part 15, upper and lower edges of the device 5 are not supported by the respective connecting parts 14 and 14′ of the gripper body 11, but the connecting parts 14 and 14′ of the gripper body 11 may prevent the pair of device attachment/detachment parts 21 from being spaced apart from each other by more than a predetermined distance so that the device 5 may not be easily separated from the device attachment/detachment parts 21 by external forces.

In addition, unlike in the above-described embodiments, the device gripper 10″ according to the third embodiment of the inventive concept further includes a charging port 31 for charging the device 5 mounted on the device attachment/detachment parts 21.

As described above, according to the inventive concept, a pair of device attachment/detachment parts having one or more mounting grooves where an end portion of a device is attached or detached is coupled to a gripper body with a pair of handles so as to be rotatable and moves toward or away from each other to mount or remove the device, thereby enabling a user to have psychological stability and enjoy contents displayed through the device in the state of stably holding the device gripper with the hands.

Meanwhile, the device gripper according to the inventive concept may further include a charging port for charging the device mounted on the device attachment/detachment parts.

In addition, the device gripper according to the inventive concept may further include a protective glass attached to, or detached from, the pair of device attachment/detachment parts to protect a user's vision although it is not illustrated in the above-described embodiments.

While the inventive concept has been described with reference to embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventive concept. Therefore, it should be understood that the above embodiments are not limiting, but illustrative. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A device gripper comprising: a gripper body having a pair of graspable handles; and a pair of device attachment/detachment parts disposed between the pair of handles to face each other and coupled to the gripper body so as to be rotatable, wherein the device attachment/detachment parts have at least one mounting groove where an end portion of a device is attached or detached and move toward or away from each other to mount or remove the device.
 2. The device gripper of claim 1, further comprising: a device support part provided between the pair of device attachment/detachment parts in the gripper body to support a rear surface of the device mounted on the pair of device attachment/detachment parts.
 3. The device gripper of claim 1, wherein a distance between the opposite mounting grooves of the pair of device attachment/detachment parts is shorter than a width of the device.
 4. The device gripper of claim 3, wherein the gripper body is elastically deformed and curved and the pair of device attachment/detachment parts generates an elastic force to move toward each other when the device is mounted on the pair of device attachment/detachment parts.
 5. The device gripper of claim 3, wherein a connecting area between the gripper body and each of the device attachment/detachment parts has a modulus of elasticity greater than that of the gripper body.
 6. The device gripper of claim 1, wherein a bumpy structure having the shape of waves is formed at a periphery of the mounting groove.
 7. The device gripper of claim 1, further comprising: a corner support part protruding from a periphery of the mounting groove to support a corner area of the device mounted in the mounting groove. 